


again

by keijitrash



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bokuto Koutarou & Kuroo Tetsurou are Bros, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Friendship, Inspired by Fanart, Iwaizumi Hajime and Oikawa Tooru Don't Grow Up Together, M/M, Oikawa Tooru Swears a Lot, Oikawa Tooru is a Mess, Romance, Tarot, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:34:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21929044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keijitrash/pseuds/keijitrash
Summary: Oikawa Tooru is stuck in a timeloop after an unfortunate tarot card reading. He is doomed, without fail, to die at the end of the week and then be sent back to seven days prior over and over until he is able to fall in love.
Relationships: Bokuto Koutarou & Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime & Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kuroo Tetsurou & Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 3
Kudos: 62





	1. THE FOOL

**Author's Note:**

> this fanfic took inspiration from [mikappi's timeloop au](https://mikkapi.tumblr.com/post/160866374734/an-iwaoi-au-in-which-college-student-oikawa-is) from tumblr.

_The[Fool](http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/fool/) is a card of new beginnings, opportunity and potential._

///

**[ JUNE 03 | 10:04 | DAY 0 ]**

Under the scalding heat of the sun, a group of university freshmen make their way out of Tohokudai. All of them don matching shirts, with the school’s logo emblazoned in the back along with the line ‘ _TOHOKUDAI MENS VOLLEYBALL_ ’.

Among them is a well-built man over six feet tall with disheveled dark brown hair and tired brown eyes. This is Oikawa Tooru – the team’s setter with a reputation with women. He glances wearily at his teammates while they continue to walk to the mall; for some reason, he feels like they’re about to do something stupid.

“ _Oooh!_ ” Kuroo Tetsurou – a middle blocker with a fascinating case of natural bedhead – exclaims. “Everyone look what I just found!”

He points excitedly towards a ginormous tent with the sign ‘Tarot Reading’ placed above the entrance. Everyone else but Tooru ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ and gape at the ominous-looking place.

 _Ominous? More like dodgy._ Tooru thinks to himself as he stared at the tent with a barely-concealed grimace. _And who does card readings nowadays anyway?_

“Hey, hey, what if we all go in and get our futures read?” Bokuto Koutarou – a wing spiker with salt-and-pepper hair and golden, owlish eyes – suggest with a grin. He drapes his arm around Kuroo’s shoulders and they both egg the rest of the group to do just that.

Tooru sighs.

“I’ll pass,” he says, raising a hand. “I’m not really in the mood for—”

“Come _on_ Oikawa! Don’t be a _wuss_!” Kuroo cuts him off, “We’re all gonna go so don’t be a killjoy!”

_Damnit._

Taking in a breath, Tooru squares his shoulders and looks at the middle blocker in the eye.

“Fine, whatever.”

A shit-eating grin plasters itself on Kuroo’s face. Bokuto lets out a triumphant whoop at their setter’s resignation.

_I hope you get the worst reading._

It takes the entire team more than half an hour until they’re all done with their readings. They emerge from the tent with mixed expressions. Sadly, Kuroo and Bokuto seem to have had the time of their lives. Tooru on the other hand, well…he can’t really say the same.

_“You must be careful, young man,” the veiled woman says after she finished telling him the meaning of the cards he’d drawn from the deck. “The cogs of fate have turned, and the Cards have chosen you.”_

Even until now, the setter has his brows scrunched together in thought. _What the fuck does that even mean?_ He lifts a hand and runs his fingers through his hair as they all began to walk again.

Kuroo trailed behind to talk.

“S _oooo_ what did the _obasan_ say?” the middle blocker asks. There’s genuine curiosity on his face as he waited for Tooru to answer his question.

The brunet shrugs his shoulders and replies nonchalantly, “Just something about change and whatnot.”

Kuroo frowns, “ _Seriously_? I mean- _for real_? That’s all she had to tell you?”

Tooru hums in affirmation. He teases the middle blocker – just a _little_ bit (“Sorry to disappoint you, Kurocchi, but I have my future all set.”) to get back at him for pushing him to get his future read. Kuroo groans and dismisses Tooru’s reading as ‘boring’.

The setter smiles at the let-down look on his face.

**[ JUNE 10 | 19:00 | DAY 7 ]**

Oikawa Tooru leans back against a pillar and takes out his phone. He’s currently waiting for the next tram to arrive in order to get back to Tohokudai. After finishing an errand for the coach, the brunet failed to notice how much time had passed – leading him to ride transportation than jog back.

The trolley arrives with a low screech. Tooru pushes himself forward and off the pillar and walks in with the rest of the crowd who were waiting.

 _Lucky_ , he thinks to himself when he manages to snag a seat.

“’scuse me, do you mind if…?”

Tooru turns his head up to look at the owner of the voice. Turns out, _he’s_ the one being addressed, so he gives a friendly smile.

“Yes?”

The spiky haired man in front of him – _he’s shorter but way more toned than I am_ – repeats his earlier question and motions to the tight space by Tooru’s side.

“Oh! Sure, sure,” the brunet says and shifts to give the man more space. He hears him mutter a soft ‘thanks’ before squeezing himself between the setter and another passenger.

The tram comes to a halt once again and opens its doors after a few stops.

Tooru gets up from his seat, pays then gets off. He stretches his arms overhead, feeling a bit sore after being in a cramped-up space for so long.

 _It’s been a while since I last rode on a tram,_ he thinks while twisting to the side, _but at least uni’s not too far from here._

After feeling his muscles relax, Tooru leaves the waiting shed.

**_SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!_ **

_Wha…?_

(There’s a deafening silence after the loud sound of a car skidding to a stop. For some reason he feels…numb…)

_What’s happening?_

(He glances upward to see the same guy in the tram looking at him with a shaken expression. He’s saying something, but he can’t make out the words. He knits his brows together in confusion.)

_It’s warm._

(Blood trickles down from the side of his face and a shallow cut on his lips. He groans and tries to move only to find out that he couldn’t.)

_Ah—so loud._

(The blaring sound of sirens make him shut his eyes close. It’s too loud…)

.

.

.

.

.

**_"You must be careful, young man. The cogs of fate have turned, and the Cards have chosen you."_ **

(Why is he remembering the tarot reader’s words _now_ of all times? He questions with a frown. And then he begins to wonder just what exactly happened.)

.

.

.

 _Did I…_ die _?_

.

.

.

**[ JUNE 04 | 05:20 | DAY 1 ]**

Oikawa Tooru wakes up with a start. His body shoots up, and he lets out ragged breaths that seem to reverberate in the room. Brown eyes dart everywhere, taking in the familiar view of his apartment room.

_Inhale. Exhale._

His muscles relax.

“Just a bad dream,” he mutters to himself. He slips out of bed and pads to the bathroom to take a shower. “…’st a bad dream.”

He leaves his place by six and walks down the road to university. On his way, there’s nothing but the sound of his footsteps against pavement and the deafening chirps of cicadas.

“ _Osu_ , Oikawa,” Kuroo’s deep voice breaks through the monotonous noise. The middle blocker greets Tooru with a small half-smile-half-smirk that the setter returns. “Since you’re already here, wanna jog around the track with me?”

Tooru hums in thought before accepting the invitation.

.

.

_Why do I feel like I’ve done this before?_

.

.

Tooru inwardly scoffs. Of course he’s done this before – jogging with teammates isn’t something unusual…

“Wait, really?” Kuroo looks at the brunet with a disbelieving tone, “You’re not gonna say something like ‘ah, sorry Kurocchi but I think I’ll go in the gym and practice serves?’”

The setter frowns, “Don’t imitate me – and I feel like jogging anyway so why not?”

Kuroo snickers. “Whatever you say, Oikawa. But _dang_ I never thought I’d be able to get you to jog with me for the first time today!”

.

.

_First time? But I jogged with you last week – that was the first time._

.

.

Strange.

As Tooru jogged around the track with Kuroo a few paces ahead of him, he couldn’t help but feel like something’s _off_.

“Kurocchi,” he calls out after their third round. The middle blocker quickly slows to a stop. He lets Tooru catch up to him then asks if there’s something wrong. “When did we go to that weird Tarot place?”

Kuroo frowns, “You kidding?”

Tooru shakes his head.

“It was literally _yesterday_ ,” the middle blocker says, “don’t tell me you have goldfish memory!”

.

.

_Yesterday? But that was a week ago—_

.

.

He manages to make some stupid reason about thinking that he’d only gone to get his future read in a dream. Kuroo believes him – laughs at him too – and that’s all he needs.

After another lap, Tooru excuses himself to change out of his gym clothes.

“What the fuck…” the setter mutters, voice laced with confusion and frustration. He runs a hand through his hair and breathes out. His heart is pounding loudly – muting any other external noises – and cold sweat trickles down his neck.

His head is reeling.

“What the _fuck_ …”

.

.

 _Did I actually_ die _?_

.

.

A bell-like laugh rips through his train of thought.

It seems to have come from everywhere and…nowhere.

Tooru’s eyes go wide in panic. He turns in a circle, trying to see who’d just laughed, except he’s all alone with nothing but his own shadow keeping him company.

.

.

.

_The cogs of fate have turned, and the Cards have chosen you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maaaaan! I can't believe I actually managed to write this after telling myself that I will for so long! I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of this fic and look forward to the rest of the updates!
> 
> Be sure to leave a comment below and share your thoughts + hit that kudos button below :> Happy holidays, everyone!
> 
> ❤️ Rena


	2. DEATH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONGS:  
> [世界は恋に落ちている (CHiCOwithHoneyWorks)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc00ZZ8a7dY)  
> [ハロ／ハワユ (Lizz Robinett)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjQTJmcCl9g)

_Death has elements of a sudden and unexpected change._

///

**_UNTITLED MEMO ( JUNE 04 | 22:14 )_ **

_Earlier this morning, the things that happened last week repeated. It would’ve been fine if only it was déjà vu – but it isn’t. I really think I died._

_I died and then the week restarted and I’m alive again._

_I don’t get it myself but…I’m going to try figuring things out as I go._

_\- OIKAWA TOORU._

**[ JUNE 09 | 17:00 | DAY 6 ]**

Despite the words he’d written down in the Notes app on his phone, Tooru hasn’t figured anything out. At all. The only thing he’s certain of is that the week’s been reset for him – and it began they day after he got that weird Tarot reading. He tried visiting the place, but it’s been closed ever since; this frustrated him to no end. With no clue on how to proceed, the brunet decided to just let things flow naturally.

_I mean, what else do I do?_

The only good thing that stemmed from being thrown back in time was the perfect scores he got on his tests – _okay so maybe it’s not **so** bad…_

“Oi, Oikawa! You’re spacing out again!”

Bokuto slaps him on the shoulder. His loud voice alone was enough to bring Tooru back to the land of the living though.

“Sorry, sorry!” Tooru says sheepishly, clapping his hands together and bobbing his head forward, “I’m just having an off-day today.”

Bokuto frowns, “Go take a break then.” Without bothering to ask, Bokuto faces away from Tooru and suddenly yells, “Coach! Oikawa’s not feeling well!”

Tooru flinches, “Geh!”

 _Well, there’s no escape for me then…_ He inwardly sighs. Their coach tells him to take a rest for the day, dismissing him from volleyball activities. With nothing left to do inside the gym, Oikawa walks out after excusing himself.

He’s in the campus’ courtyard when he hears a guitar being played.

_The whole world is falling in love  
an arrow of light pierces my chest  
I want to understand you  
"Hey, tell me"_

Tooru finds himself curious and entranced. Careful not to make too much noise, he walks closer to where the music is coming from—

_When our words missed each other  
I only cried a little  
While, our busy emotions link to our heartbeat  
I found myself wanting to tune to the sound_

_It’s the guy from the tram…_ Tooru breathes in sharply. The guy looks so peaceful – strumming his guitar and singing along with a smooth, baritone voice. Tooru isn’t sure why he thought the guy didn’t seem like the type to play guitar and sing; especially sing. _He’s really good_ , he thinks.

_Only concerned about the outcome  
I lose sight of what is important and ran away  
the day will restart again_

“Woah…”

Realizing his mistake, Tooru quickly clamps a hand over his mouth – but it’s too late. The guy heard him. He looks up from his guitar, stops singing, and scrunches his brows together.

“You’re—” the guy looks _scared_? “Didn’t you _die_?”

Tooru’s heart stops beating. His eyes go wide, and everything freezes to a stop. The guy’s words echo in his ears – _didn’t you die didn’t you die didn’t you die_ – and his lips part as if to say something.

There’s a momentary pause before Tooru regains his composure – _somewhat_.

“You—You remember? But, wait no, everyone keeps saying that…”

“…the weeks been reset? I figured,” the guy says with a sigh, “and you and I are the only ones who remember what actually happened.”

Tooru isn’t sure whether he should feel relieved that someone also knows or horrified because _this guy saw me die!_

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

“Guh,” Tooru almost chokes on his spit. He glares lightly at the guy – _I don’t even know his name!_ – and huffs, “That’s putting it bluntly. Too bluntly.”

The guy – _ask for his name already, Tooru!_ – laughs, “Just stating facts.”

Tooru hums then clears his throat, “S, So! I’m Oikawa Tooru. What’s your name?”

“Iwaizumi Hajime,” the guy – _Iwachan_ , Tooru automatically nicknames him in his head – replies. “At least I know I’m not alone in this…weird thing happening.”

Tooru chuckles and agrees.

**[ JUNE 10 | 05:57 | DAY 7 ]**

Somehow, the brunet managed to become closer with Iwaizumi in a span of a few hours. Turns out, being the only two people aware of getting tossed back in time does a lot for developing a friendship. Tooru managed to exchange mail addresses with Iwaizumi and even invite him to a morning jog.

By the time Tooru arrives at the gates of Tohokudai, Iwaizumi’s already there, leaning against the wall with earphones in his ears and his phone in hand.

“Iwachan~!” Tooru greets him cheerfully with a wave. Iwaizumi looks up and raises a hand in greeting.

“Osu.”

Tooru grins as he takes out his own phone, pops on his earphones, and plays his playlist for his runs. He leaves an earphone dangling so he can talk with Iwaizumi, and the latter does the same.

“Oh, oh! Iwachan, Iwachan!”

Tooru chirps while they’re both jogging at a steady pace around the campus oval. Iwaizumi grunts to say he heard him.

“You sing right? What if _we_ sing? Right now? Since no one’s around?”

Iwaizumi looks at him incredulously. “Are you for real?”

Tooru nods so eagerly he feels like his head might fall off – _oh, that made me dizzy. Let’s not do that next time._

“Gimme a song, Iwachan! Start it and I’ll sing it with you!”

The spiky haired man groans before taking in a deep breath:

_Hello_

Tooru’s eyes widen at the familiar tune. He giddily follows—

_I pulled the window up and looked into the sky to say  
  
_

Iwaizumi looks mildly surprised that Tooru knows the song, but he continues anyway.

_How are you  
Alone between these walls, there's no one but me.  
Morning  
And here the daylight is, covered up with pouring rain  
Tick tock  
Would someone please come by and wind me up today?_

Tooru finds himself grinning as the interlude of the song comes. He puffs his chest outward and takes in a big breath – “LA, LA LA. LA LA LA LA LA, LA LA! LA, LA LA. LA LA LA, LA LA LA!”

Iwaizumi snorts, “You sound fucking retarded.”

“LA, LA LA. LA LA LA LA LA, LA LA! LA, LA LA. LA LA LA, LA LA LA!” Tooru sings just as loudly as he had before Iwaizumi interrupted. The spiky haired man looks ready to just stop jogging and just keep laughing at how stupid Tooru’s sure he looked like, but he doesn’t. Instead, he continues to the second verse.

_Hello  
I know from old cartoons, characters like that exist  
How are you  
Beloved by everyone while I am here so out of place  
Sleeping  
No matter what my heart will tell me, I've gotta come back to today  
Crying  
So I can raise my hand, wipe my tears away_

[…]

When they finish their jog, Tooru and Iwaizumi had managed to sing five songs one after the other. They start walking after their fifth; too tired to jog or sing another one. This, Tooru realizes, is the first time he’s only jogged for 20 minutes – he usually does longer with his friends from the team. Then again, singing made him _exhausted._ All the energy he had during the first half was depleted and now all he wants to do is lie in bed.

“That was fun,” Tooru says while walking so as to not put a sudden stop to the activity. Iwaizumi’s lagging a few steps behind, but he’s doing the same.

“You suck at singing,” Iwaizumi says, but it doesn’t sound insulting at all. Tooru finds himself smiling.

“Well, there can only be one good singer and that’s you apparently,” he says with a shrug, “I’m fine being average in singing, thank you very much.”

**[ JUNE 10 | 19:04 | DAY 7 ]**

The day continued on peacefully.

Tooru messages Iwaizumi in the middle of classes at two in the afternoon – invites him to go to the arcade with him since the coach temporarily suspended him from club activities after having consecutive misses that wasn’t like him. Tooru promised Coach that he’ll be better after resting, though. Iwaizumi responds with an ‘OK’ and asks if they should meet by the gates before scolding him for messaging him in the middle of classes.

After going around, looking at shops and talking with each other, Tooru and Iwaizumi decide to rest in the food court at the second floor of the mall.

Iwaizumi makes Tooru treat him to dinner.

“Haaah, I wish tomorrow’s a good day.” Tooru sighs and sags into his seat. He already finished the small bag of potato croquettes, so he’s just waiting for Iwaizumi to finish the meal he treated him to.

“Don’t jinx it,” Iwaizumi says before taking his last bite.

Tooru pouts.

After finishing everything in his plate, Iwaizumi motions for them to leave. They both get out of their seats and start walking again.

“Should we head back to the dorms?” Iwaizumi asks when they finally have nothing left to do in the mall. Tooru hums in agreement, and they begin their trip back to Tohokudai.

.

.

.

.

.

Tooru doesn’t even _understand_ how it happens.

One moment, he’s laughing and talking with Iwaizumi on the road, and then he’s in a fetal position on the ground, clutching his stomach in pain the next. _It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts—_ there’s nothing else in his mind but _pain_ and the fact that _oh gods oh gods **oh gods** I’m bleeding!_

“I-Iwachan,” he rasps and _when did talking become so… **hard**?_

Iwaizumi is kneeling beside him, already done calling for an ambulance. For some reason, Tooru feels sure that help won’t come.

“H, Hey Iwachan – look at me please?”

Tooru wheezes. He’s running out of breath and it _hurts_ to talk too, but he needs to say this – at least he thinks that he does. He supposes people like to say a lot of things when they’re in the verge of dying just like when they’re drunk.

Iwaizumi’s looking at him now – _good_.

He gives a weak smile.

“I think,” he inhales and regrets it the second more pain shoots up his body. Tooru winces but bites his lip to keep himself from screaming. “I think I’m supposed to die…”

.

.

.

“OI! OIKAWA! FUCK, DON’T—GODDAMNIT!”

(Iwaizumi’s cry reaches deaf ears. Tooru goes limp in his arms – his bright brown eyes devoid of life.)

“Gods—fuck!”

(Iwaizumi doesn’t _understand_. He doesn’t understand why he has to watch Tooru die a second time – and on _this_ very day too.)

“Oi, Oikawa…”

(He can hear the sirens of the ambulance getting closer, but it’s already too late. He could only hope they catch the damn mugger who killed Tooru. He takes in a breath; his hold on Tooru’s body slackens.)

“I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

.

.

.

**[ JUNE 04 | 05:20 | DAY 1 ]**

Tooru wakes up with a tingling stomach. He touches the spot where he knows he was stabbed, only to feel nothing but smooth, uninjured skin.

 _Ah,_ he thinks, _I was right._

**UNTITLED MEMO 2 ( JUNE 04 | 05:30 )**

_I was right. When that mugger stabbed me and the ambulance was obviously not going to make it, I figured things out._

_I’m meant to die every 10 th of June – and the week restarts whenever I do. At least I know that much. It still isn’t everything, but it’s more than what I had the week before._

_I’ll be checking on Iwachan in the courtyard – maybe he’s there._

_I’m not sure what would put a stop to this but…well, there’s no buts. I’ll still have to figure things out as I go – at least I have Iwachan this time around._

_\- OIKAWA TOORU_

**[ JUNE 04 | 05:44 | DAY 1 ]**

_The whole world is falling in love  
an arrow of light pierces my chest  
I want to understand you  
"Hey, tell me"_

Tooru lets himself smile, “I thought I’d find you here.”

The guitar playing and singing stops. Iwaizumi places his instrument gently down on the grass and stands up. He turns around while dusting the dirt off his pants before meeting Tooru’s gaze.

“Osu.”

.

.

.

_Another week starts._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! I hope you enjoyed today's chapter and look forward to the rest of the updates!  
> Be sure to leave a comment below and share your thoughts :>  
> ♥ Rena


End file.
